Traffic signal for automobiles



April 28, 1925.

I 1,535,836 E. L. HILMER TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec; 28.1922 duce the danger of collisions due to the 1m: expected changing ofthe dn'ectlon or speed Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

* UNITED STATES .EDWIN L. HILMER, OF HAGERSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAFFIC sreriar. For. AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed-December 28, 1922. Serial No. 699,463. i

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. HILMER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, re-

siding at Hagersville, in the county of Bucks and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Trafiic Signalsfor Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in traffic signals forautomobiles, and has particular reference to that type of signal systemwherein warning may be given of the drivers intention to turn to theright or left or stop. i

Animportant object of the invention is to provide a signal system of theabove mentioned character that will be effective to warn pedestrians andoccupants of vehicles both in front and in the rear of the signallingmachine in what particular direction such machine is about to trrvel.

A further ob]ect of the invention 18' to reof travel of the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a signal forindicatingthe intention of the driver to turn either to the right or left toprevent collision, and further provide means for returning the signalsto their nor mal position when the direction of travel of the vehiclehas been changed.

Other objects and advantages will be'apparent during the course of thefollowing description. 1 i i i In the a(: .:onipanying drawings forminga part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed todesignate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l. is a vertical sectional view talten on line .lli of Fig. 2,and shows the casing employed to house the signal arms which form partof the invention,

Figure 2'is a vertical sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 1, and

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line III III of Fig. 1.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, thereis shown acasing 1, which is adapted to be attached one to either side of avehicle, by the angle brackets 2, ate point near the rear of the sameand is employed to house the signal arms used to indicate the intentionof the driver to turn either to the right or left or to stop, andembodies a front wall 3, rear wall 41-, and inner side wall 5, the outerside is left open to allow for the projecting of the signal arms. Theside wall 5 is provided with an opening 6 through which controllingcords, leading from a convenient position to the driver, pass into thecasing to actuate the signalling apparatus housed therein. The outerside of the casing is left open, but is provided with a small door 7which protects the operating mechanism associatedwith the signal arms,and is pivotally secured to the casing by the hinge 8 and held in itsclosed position by the clasp 9. The front and rear walls 3 and 4respectively are formed with semi-circular projections 10 that areadapted to shield the outer illuminated portion of the signal arms whenin their inoperative position.

Secured to the front and rear walls of the casing 1 is a shaft 11 thatis adapted to have journalled thereto, as. at 12, a signal arm 13 whichincreases in width as it approaches its outer end 14 to provide amplesupporting means for the lamp housing 15 which may carry signal lampsbetween the lenses 17 that are preferably red in color-and act as a stopsignal. The inner end of the signal arm 13 is provided with a leverportion 18 which is provided with an aperture 19 to which an operatingcord 20 is secured.

Journaled to the shaft 11, as at 21, is a signal arm 22 that is similarin construction to the arm 13, being provided with an enlarged portion11 that is adapted to support a lamp housing 15 to which are secured thelenses 1.7, the lenses carried by this arm being green in color. Theinner end of the arm 22 is, likewise, provided with a lever portion. 18having an aperture 19" to which is secured a controlling cord 20.Secured to the signal. arm 22 and loosely mounted upon the shaft 11 is asubstantially circular block 3 having a cam portion 2 1-. that is shapedto form the shoulder 25. Secured to the top of the casing 1, as at 26,is a depending spring arm 27 having its free end bent to form the hookportion 28 which is adapt edto engage the shoulder formed on the camportion 24; of the block 23, to hold the signal arm 22 when moved intothe dotted line position as shown in Fig. 1. Journaled in the front andrear walls of the casing 1 is a shaft 29, having a crank portion 30formed therein, a link 31 is loosely carried by the crank portion 30 andis connected at its opposite end to the hook portion 28 of Ill) thespring arm 27. The crank portion 30 is further provided with acontrolling cord 32 that should be extended to suitable means, notshown, the operation of which will. move the sprin arm from engagementwith the shoulder 25, to allow the signal arm 22 to return to its normalinoperative position within the casing l.

The operation of the device is as fol lows Should the operator of thevehicle desire to stop the same the flexible cords 20 connected to thestop signalling arms 13 are pulled upon for drawing the arms into theirhorizontal position to warn pedestrians and occupants of vehicles bothin front and in the rear of the signalling machine. hould the driverdesire to turn to the right, the cord 20 connected to the signal armpositioned at the right side of the vehicle is pulled upon for movingthat arm into its horizontal position. The spring arm 27 will engage theshoulder 25 that is associated with the signal arm 22, positioned uponthe right side of the vehicle, for retaining the said arm in itssignaling position. Upon operating the vehicle steering wheel to turnthe front wheels in the proper direction to cause the vehicle to turn tothe right, the cord 32 should he pulled upon. This movement of the cord82 will exert a pull upon the crank portion 30 for moving the spring arm27 out of engagement with the shoulder 25 for allowing the signallingarm to return to its vertical position within the casing 1. It will beapparent that the direction signalling arm 22, positioned upon the leftside of the vehicle, may be similarly moved into its horizontalsignalling position when the driver desires to turn his car to the leftand that the cord 32 may he pulled upon to re lease this said signallingarm when the front wheels of the vehicle have been turned in the properdirection to cause the machine to turn .to the left.

It is to he understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as the preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

lVhat is claimed as new is 1. In a signal of the class described, acasing having a closed upper end and having an outer side portion open,a shaft extending through said casing, a signal arm mov able through theopen side and having a cam constituting a hub and mounted eccentricallyon said shaft, said cam having a latch shoulder formed thereon, a springfinger having one end fixed to the casing and its other end frictionallyengaging the hub to check swinging of the arm in normal position, saidfinger engaging the shoulder to hold the arm raised upon movement of thearm to signalling position, means to actuate the arm, and means to movethe finger oil the shoulder to release the arm.

2. In a signal of the class described, a casing having a closed upperend and having an outer side portion open, a shaft extending throughsaid casing, a signal arm movable through the open side and having a camconstituting a hub and mounted eccen trically on said shaft; said camhaving a latch shoulder formed thereon, a spring finger having one endfixed to the casing and its other end frictionally engaging the hub tocheck swin ing of the arm in normal position, said nnger engaging theshoulder to hold the arm raised upon movement of the arm to signallingposition, means to actuate the arm, a crank shaft journalled in thecasing parallel to the first shaft, a link connecting said finger andthe crank of the crank shaft, and means for actuating the crank shaft tocause movement of the linger away from the cam shoulder.

In testimony whereof I aliix luv signature.

EDWIN L. HILM'EB.

